Bonshaw vs Cambrian Hill

Bonshaw is the younger of the two, with a median age of 28 against 39 in Cambrian Hill. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Bonshaw, about half of households are couple families. In Cambrian Hill, most households are couple families. On these figures, Bonshaw tends to suit young adults, while Cambrian Hill suits couples.

Which one suits you?

There is no overall winner — the suburb that suits a family with school-age kids is routinely the wrong one for someone commuting into the city. So each of these answers its own question, against a checklist you can see, using the same figures in the tables below.

Families with school-age kids

Cambrian Hill

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (52/100 vs 92/100)
  • is already more of a family suburb (80% vs 67%)
  • But Bonshaw has more parks and reserves (3 vs 0)

Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, childcare, and who already lives there.

First-home buyers

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Cambrian Hill

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (13% vs 22%)
  • has cheaper rent ($260/wk vs $398/wk)
  • But Bonshaw has a bigger rental market to choose from (30% vs 4%)

Weighs rent, rental stress, and how much is for rent.

Commuting to the city

Bonshaw

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (21/100 vs 0/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (121.7 km vs 124.5 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Cambrian Hill

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has more residents already 65 and over (13% vs 5%)
  • carries lower crime risk (52/100 vs 92/100)
  • But Bonshaw is more walkable (21/100 vs 0/100)

Weighs who already lives there, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Bonshaw

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (351.9% vs 16.3%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Bonshaw and Cambrian Hill drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Bonshaw Cambrian Hill
Hides rows where both suburbs match

Bars start at zero. Scores, risks and rankings are drawn against their full 0–100 range; other rows are drawn in proportion to the larger of the two.

Side by side, out of 100

Risks are inverted — shown as safety and low exposure — so a longer bar always means better.

Bonshaw Cambrian Hill
Walkability 21 / 0
Bonshaw — Walkability: 21/100 Cambrian Hill — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 8 / 48
Bonshaw — Safety: 8/100 Cambrian Hill — Safety: 48/100
Low fire risk 100 / 37
Bonshaw — Low fire risk: 100/100 Cambrian Hill — Low fire risk: 37/100
Low flood risk 100 / 57
Bonshaw — Low flood risk: 100/100 Cambrian Hill — Low flood risk: 57/100

Demographics

Bonshaw has more residents (949 vs 292); Bonshaw rents higher ($398/wk vs $260/wk).

Bonshaw Cambrian Hill
Population 949
+69% vs other
 292
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +351.9% +16.3%
Median age 28 39
Median household income $96,408/yr $106,184/yr
+10% vs other
Median weekly rent $398/wk
+35% vs other
 $260/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Bonshaw Cambrian Hill
0-4 8.4% / 3.8%
Bonshaw — 0-4: 8.4% Cambrian Hill — 0-4: 3.8%
5-14 15.1% / 19.2%
Bonshaw — 5-14: 15.1% Cambrian Hill — 5-14: 19.2%
15-19 3.8% / 5.8%
Bonshaw — 15-19: 3.8% Cambrian Hill — 15-19: 5.8%
20-24 10.5% / 4.5%
Bonshaw — 20-24: 10.5% Cambrian Hill — 20-24: 4.5%
25-34 25.4% / 9.6%
Bonshaw — 25-34: 25.4% Cambrian Hill — 25-34: 9.6%
35-44 13.0% / 11.3%
Bonshaw — 35-44: 13.0% Cambrian Hill — 35-44: 11.3%
45-54 9.2% / 19.9%
Bonshaw — 45-54: 9.2% Cambrian Hill — 45-54: 19.9%
55-64 8.5% / 8.9%
Bonshaw — 55-64: 8.5% Cambrian Hill — 55-64: 8.9%
65-74 3.1% / 8.2%
Bonshaw — 65-74: 3.1% Cambrian Hill — 65-74: 8.2%
75-84 1.8% / 5.1%
Bonshaw — 75-84: 1.8% Cambrian Hill — 75-84: 5.1%
85+ 0.4% / —
Bonshaw — 85+: 0.4% Cambrian Hill — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (25.4%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Bonshaw 45.4% couple families
Bonshaw — Couple Families: 45.4% Bonshaw — Lone Person: 23.9% Bonshaw — One Parent Families: 21.5% Bonshaw — Group Household: 6.8% Bonshaw — Other Families: 2.4%
Cambrian Hill 69.6% couple families
Cambrian Hill — Couple Families: 69.6% Cambrian Hill — Lone Person: 20.3% Cambrian Hill — One Parent Families: 10.1% Cambrian Hill — Group Household: 0.0% Cambrian Hill — Other Families: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Bonshaw 29.7% renting
Bonshaw — Owned Outright: 16.9% Bonshaw — Mortgage: 53.4% Bonshaw — Renting: 29.7%
Cambrian Hill 3.5% renting
Cambrian Hill — Owned Outright: 34.1% Cambrian Hill — Mortgage: 62.4% Cambrian Hill — Renting: 3.5%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Bonshaw 93.6% houses
Bonshaw — Houses: 93.6% Bonshaw — Townhouses: 5.2% Bonshaw — Flats / Apartments: 1.2%
Cambrian Hill 100.0% houses
Cambrian Hill — Houses: 100.0% Cambrian Hill — Townhouses: 0.0% Cambrian Hill — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Qualifications

Highest non-school qualification, residents 15+, 2021 Census.

Bonshaw Cambrian Hill
Certificate III & IV 17.3% / 16.8%
Bonshaw — Certificate III & IV: 17.3% Cambrian Hill — Certificate III & IV: 16.8%
Bachelor Degree 13.9% / 8.6%
Bonshaw — Bachelor Degree: 13.9% Cambrian Hill — Bachelor Degree: 8.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.3% / 8.2%
Bonshaw — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.3% Cambrian Hill — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.2%
Postgraduate Degree 4.5% / 2.4%
Bonshaw — Postgraduate Degree: 4.5% Cambrian Hill — Postgraduate Degree: 2.4%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.3% / 1.7%
Bonshaw — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.3% Cambrian Hill — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.3%).

Property market

Bonshaw Cambrian Hill
Median house price $562,500 —
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $265,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 36 days
from 47 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Cambrian Hill has more rural and farming land (88% vs 1%).

Bonshaw Cambrian Hill
Residential 99% 9%
Rural and farming 1% 88%
Parks and recreation 0% 2%
Infrastructure and transport 0% 1%
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the suburb around it. Zones as at 2026-09.

Development activity

Bonshaw Cambrian Hill
New dwellings approved 1,451
across Ballarat
 186
across Golden Plains
Approvals change year on year +42% +10%

Gross rental yield

Gross — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. From median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.

Bonshaw Cambrian Hill
Houses 3.8%
$480/wk on $655K
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Bonshaw Cambrian Hill
House price Higher than 23% of VIC —
Income Higher than 67% of VIC Higher than 78% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 80% of VIC Higher than 62% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 92% of VIC —
EV adoption Higher than 38% of VIC Higher than 39% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 98% of VIC Higher than 71% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 55% of VIC —

Liveability

Bonshaw is more walkable (21 vs 0).

Bonshaw Cambrian Hill
Grade B —
Score 54/100 —
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
same for both

Risk profile

Cambrian Hill carries more bushfire risk (63 vs 0); Cambrian Hill carries more flood risk (43 vs 0).

Bonshaw Cambrian Hill
Bushfire None
0/100
 Moderate
63/100
Crime High
92/100
 Moderate
52/100
Flood None
0/100
 Moderate
43/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 4
within 5 km
 0
within 5 km

Schools

Bonshaw Cambrian Hill
Inside the suburb 0
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 1
Federation University Ballarat, 5.6 km
 1
Federation University Ballarat, 9.1 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 2.1% 1.0%

Amenities in the suburb

Bonshaw Cambrian Hill
Parks & reserves 3 0
Childcare 1 0
Waterways 4 2

Mobility

Cambrian Hill sits further from the CBD (124.5 km vs 121.7 km).

Bonshaw Cambrian Hill
Walkability score 21/100 0/100
Distance to Melbourne 121.7 km 124.5 km
+2% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 96 min 97 min
Electric vehicle share 0.4%
postcode 3352
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 51
postcode 3352
same for both

How people get to work

Method of travel on census day 2021 — which fell during COVID restrictions, so working from home is inflated and every travel mode understated.

Bonshaw Cambrian Hill
Car (driver) 79.7% / 71.5%
Bonshaw — Car (driver): 79.7% Cambrian Hill — Car (driver): 71.5%
Worked from Home 14.4% / 23.1%
Bonshaw — Worked from Home: 14.4% Cambrian Hill — Worked from Home: 23.1%
Car (passenger) 4.8% / 5.4%
Bonshaw — Car (passenger): 4.8% Cambrian Hill — Car (passenger): 5.4%
Walked Only 1.1% / —
Bonshaw — Walked Only: 1.1% Cambrian Hill — Walked Only: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (79.7%).

Setting

Bonshaw Cambrian Hill
Elevation 411 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 396 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Bonshaw Cambrian Hill
Connectivity score 96/100 30/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 94%
943 premises
 0%
99 premises

Climate

Bonshaw Cambrian Hill
Annual rainfall 605 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 25.7°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 3.5°C
same for both

Council rates

Bonshaw Cambrian Hill
Average residential rate $2,086/yr $2,052/yr
Council Ballarat Golden Plains

Federal electorate

Bonshaw Cambrian Hill
Division Ballarat
same for both
Member Catherine King
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Bonshaw Cambrian Hill
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Bonshaw

Acreage Affordable Family River

Cambrian Hill

Family Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Bonshaw

Bonshaw vs Sebastopol Bonshaw vs Delacombe Bonshaw vs Smythes Creek Bonshaw vs Ross Creek

Other comparisons with Cambrian Hill

Cambrian Hill vs Sebastopol Cambrian Hill vs Ross Creek Cambrian Hill vs Napoleons Cambrian Hill vs Magpie Cambrian Hill vs Scotchmans Lead
Full data on Bonshaw Full data on Cambrian Hill
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Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.

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